Local membership group, Clapton Commons Community Organisation Ltd (Clapton Commons), has been working closely with Hackney Council to bring back the disused toilet block on Clapton Common (‘Liberty Hall’) into use as a community resource.

Planning permission has now been granted, surveys complete and funds released ready for the renovations to kick off at the start of 2018. With works set to be complete by next summer, Clapton Commons and Hackney Council are now on the lookout for the right tenant to bring this currently derelict building to life for the community.

As a diverse group of local residents, Clapton Commons is active in fostering closer community cohesion and improving things for everyone for the benefit of the ‘common good’. We are seeking expressions of interest from individuals, businesses or organisations to be our ‘food champion’ to run a food based project out of Liberty Hall.

The building will be delivered in shell form in summer 2018, when the food champion will be responsible for its final fit out and its subsequent branding. Clapton Commons will be available to leverage its community connections, volunteers and assist with fundraising for this where possible.

With the agreement of Hackney Council, our appointed food champion will take over the lease which runs for seven years at a fixed rent of £12000 per annum. During the first year there is a 6 month rent free period and a further 6 month period at half rent to support the food champion get the project up and running.

To apply:

For anyone expressing an interest to be our local food champion please send the below (no more than two pages) to claptoncommonsorg@gmail.com by friday 17th November 2017.
–A brief overview of your ‘big idea’
–Description of what stage your idea is at currently
–A brief history of the team’s experience

There will be a panel selection process with the aim of appointing the food champion by the end of 2017.